Flush-tank and flush-valve therefor



W. G. MUNKEL.

FLUSH TANK AND FLUSH VALVE THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- II, I9I9.

"Patentd May 31, 19211;

SIM/Imam f Mw rzz,

WALTER G.

MUNKEL,

OF ANAMOSA, IOWA.

FLUSH-TANK AND FLUSH-VALVE THEREFOR.

eanna.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May Sil, 1921..

Application filed October 11, 1919. Serial No. 329,980.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER G. lilonnnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Anamosa, in the county of Jones and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in FlushTa-nks andFlush-Valves Therefor, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a flush tank, and a flushing valve thereof,and an important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus ofthis kind which is simple, efficient and practical in construction, andmay be manufactured for a relatively low cost and installed at areasonable profit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flushing valve which iseither hand or foot operated, and designed especially for use inconnection with a particular form of flushing tank or box usingcompressed air for forcing the water from the tank.

The invention aims to afford additional objects, namely to provide anoiseless flushing tank, the pressure of water in the main is employedto insure a proper and forceful fiow of water, to insure keeping thesoil pipe thoroughly clean, and furthermore, to prevent stoppage of suchpipe.

Furthermore, it is the aim to provide a specially constructed inletconnection for the inlet of the water in the main into the tank, saidspecially constructed inlet connection consisting of a closed endbushing having an opening in the side wall on the inside of the tank, todirect the water laterally, as it enters the tank, thereby avoidingconsiderable noise which heretofore occurs in other types of tanks.

Furthermore, it is the aim to provide a specially constructed flushingvalve, including simple and improved means for actuating the flushingvalve by hand or foot.

While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forthis deemed preferable, it is obvious that as a result of a reduction ofthe invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, theinvention may be susceptible tochanges, and the right to these changesis claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of what isclaimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, aswill be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a flushing tank andflushing valve, showing the water inlet pipe, and illustrating theconstruction of the tank.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the flushing valve.

Referring more especially to the drawings, l designates a flushing tankor box which may be any suitable shape or config uration and constructedof any suitable material, preferably metal, though not necessarily, andhingedly mounted as at 2 is a top 3. Whilethe top is shown as beinghinged, it is obvious that it may be connected to the tank in any othersuitable manner. If hinged, the top may be secured in a closed positionwith fasteners such as indicated at 4.

The top of the tank has an opening 5, to receive a closure or cover 6,which is threaded into the opening 5, there being a suitable sealingconnection with the opening to insure a *atertight joint of the cover orclosure when in place.

The bottom of the tank has an opening 8, into which the bushing 9 of theflushing valve construction is threaded, there being a packing 10between the shoulder of the bushing and the under face of the bottom ofthe tank. This packing may be constructed of any suitable material,preferably of soft lead or the like, though not necessarily, in order toinsure a water-tight joint. This )ushing has a spherically curved valveseat, with which the spherically curved valve 12 cooperatively engages.This valve l2-is designed to be constructed of any suitable material,preferably copper or the like, and has a conical or funnel shapedchamber 13. This chamber 13 has its conical wall 1 formed on theinterior of the spherically curved valve (which is hollow), there beinga chamber 15 in surrounding relation to the conical wall While the valvehas been described as being spherically shaped, it is to be noted thatthe upper part is not 0011- centric with the spherical contour of thelower greater portion of the valve. The bottom of the funnel or conicalshaped chamber 13 has a .small orifice 15 which permits water to enterthe chamber 13. The water which enters the chamber 13 adds to the weightof the valve for the purpose of closing the valve, after the flush tankempties.

I upper portion of the valve, and the upper part of the connector isprovided with a pair of diverging arms 24, which have eyes 25, throughwhich the transverse rod 20 passes, thereby suspending the valve on thetransverse rod. By this construction, the valve is guided when movingvertically, that is to say when disengaged from its valve seat.

An L-casing 26 is threaded at 27 to the lower part 28 of the bushing,and formed on the inner part of the casing is an annular. shoulder 29,between which and the lower edge of the bushing, a suitable packing 30is interposed, to insure a watertight connection between the casing andthe bushing. A

sleeve coupling 31 connects the hopper and the L-casing or elbow bymeans of the unions 32 and 33, so that the water from the pipe mayreadily pass into the hopper and flush the same.

The lower wall of the casing 26 has an opening 34, to receive aguideplug 35, there being suitable packing 36 to insure a watertight joint.Guided in the plug 35 is a ver- 'tically movable actuating rod 37, whichpasses through the guide plugs 38. The guide plug 38 cooperates with asuitable packing 39, to insure a watertight joint adjacent the rod 37. Acoil spring 40 is in surrounding relation to the rod 37 and isinterposed between the plug 38 and collar 41, which is adjustablymounted upon the rod. A suitable bracket 42 is secured to the floor inany suitable manner as by means of bolts or the like 43, and pivotallymounted at 44 to an upstanding arm of the bracket is a foot pedal orlever 45 provided with long and short arms. The shorter arm has a footengaging piece 46, whereas the longer arm is pivotally connected as at47 to the lower end of the rod 37. By means of the spring 40, the rod 37is so tensioned, as to hold the foot lever or pedal normally in contactwith the stop or abutment 48, thereby holding the upper end of the rod37 in a closed position, but not engaging the valve. By means ofpressure on the foot piece 46 the pedal or lever 45 is tilted, pushingupwardly upon the rod 37, and causing the upper end of the rod 37 tocontact with and unseat the valve 5 12, allowing the water in the tankto flow through the L-casing, and into the hopper for flushing the same.

The bushing 9 has a transverse opening 49, in which a rod 50 isrotatably mounted. This rod 50 passes through a plug 51, whichcooperates with a suitable packing 52 in the opening 49, to insure awater-tight connection. The outer end of the rod 50 has a hand piece 53,whereby the rod may be rocked. The inner end of the rod has a lateralarm 54, which, when the rod 50 is rocked in one direction, will engagethe under part of the valve 12 and consequently unseat the same,allowing the water from the tank to pass through the L-casing and flushthe hopper.

The bottom of the tank has an opening 55, in which an inlet bushing 56is threaded. This inlet bushing has its inner end closed as shown at 57,but formed in the side of the wall of the inner portion of the bushingis a small opening or orifice58. A water supply pipe 59 is threadedintothe inlet bushing, so that the water from the'main may easily flow intothe tank. The water passes through the orifice or opening 58, along thesides and the bottom of the tank. By thus permitting the water from themain to enter the tank, the noise which usually occurs in other tanks,is avoided.

In the operation of the flush tank and the flushing valve, it is to beunderstood that the flush tank operates. as a closed tank, thereforewhen the valve is raised either by a foot pedal or by the hand operatedrod, the water in the tank due to the air pressure there above emptiesfrom the tank and passes through the L-shaped easing into the V hopper,thereby flushing the same, and when the valve is unseated the pressureof water under the same during its act in passing through the casingkeeps the valve elevated, and when the valve is elevated by the pedal orby the hand operated rod, it is readily guided by the guide rods 17. jWhen pressure is relieved on the foot pedal 46 and the crank 53 isreleased, and after the tank empties, the spherically curved valvereseats itself and closes the communication between the tank. and thehopper. The water under pressure through the supply pipe 59 refills thetank, and in this refilling of the tank, a certain amount of air isconfined in the upper portion thereof. The confined air in the upperportion of the tank materially assists in flushing the tank and thehopper when the spherically curved valve is again opened.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and usefulis:

1. The combination with a closed flushing tank, into which flushingwater under pressure is adapted to flow, of a flushing valve ing withthe'bottom of the tank, said bushing having a spherically curved valveseat, a hollow spherically curved valve cooperating with said seat andprovided with a funnel shaped chamber, the bottom of which is providedwith an orifice, a guide frame rising upwardly from the bushing, saidguide frame comprising diametrically oppositely arranged vertical guiderods, a transverse member guided upon certain of said rods, a connectorhaving diverging arms engaging the transverse member and being in turnconnected to the valve, whereby the valve is suspended, and a pedallyoperated vertical rod operatively engaging through the bottom of thecasing and having its upper end positioned, whereby upon verticalmovement of the rod, the valve may be unseated.

2. The combination with a flushing tank into which flushing water underpressure is adapted to flow, of a bushing having a valve seat threadedinto the bottom of the tank, a casing connected to the lower end of thebushing and having connections with a hopper to be flushed, a guideframe rising upwardly from the bushing comprising diametricallyoppositely arranged vertical guide rods, a transverse rod having eyeconnections with certain diametrically opposite guide rods, a spheroidalhollow valve cooperable with said seat, a connector loosely suspendedfrom the transverse rod, and having a loose connection with said valve,whereby the valve may accommodate itself to the seat, when the tank hasbecome empty of the water therein, and means for manually unseating thevalve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

WALTER G. MUNKEL.

